Final pitch: Despite loss, Oberholtzer is reason for optimism

Despite the 3-2 loss Friday night, lefthander Brett Oberholtzer has to be considered one of the Astros’ most positive surprises of the 2013 season.

Since being inserted into the starting rotation, he has had a 2.24 ERA and didn’t give up more than two earned runs in seven of his 10 starts.

“He’s done a tremendous job with the opportunity that was presented to him,” manager Bo Porter said of Oberholtzer. “He’s put himself in a good position moving forward going into next year with a good opportunity to be in this rotation.”

Oberholtzer (4-5) gave up five hits and three runs (two earned) with one walk and four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings for the loss.

“He kind of ran right to the end of his tank,” Porter said of Oberholtzer. “He was a little bit gassed there. The three-run inning obviously we actually could have kept it first and second and had a chance to get a double play to get out of it, but we made a costly error that allowed the base runners to move up base. And they ended up getting the big hit to get the three runs there.”

“My strength and fastball, everything is diminishing early, just a sign of a little fatigue, body fatigue,” he said. “But this is something I know that I can have control over next season and continue to pitch, because hopefully this team and myself we can continue to play ball into October. …

“In the fourth, I was missing some spots, arm dragging a little bit. My tempo and mechanics weren’t up to par.”